This invention relates to a joint for connecting a corrugated pipe to another member.
A conventional joint for connecting a corrugated pipe to another member comprises a cylindrical body having an enlarged through-hole and a reduced through-hole formed at its end portion and its inner part, respectively, an annular step portion formed between the enlarged through-hole and the reduced through-hole to be brought into contact with a front end of the corrugated pipe, an engaging member fitted to an inner periphery of the cylindrical body defining the enlarged through-hole, engaged with an outer periphery of the corrugated pipe, and allowed to contract and expand in radially inward and outward directions, and a cylindrical locking member screwed into an inner periphery of an end portion of the cylindrical body defining the enlarged through-hole.
The cylindrical locking member screwed into the cylindrical body is turned and tightly fastened to contract the engaging member radially inward. The engaging member is engaged with an outer peripheral groove of the corrugated pipe inserted into the cylindrical body so that the corrugated pipe is locked. The engagement member is forced inwardly to thereby move the corrugated pipe in the same direction. The front end of the corrugated pipe is brought into contact with the annular step portion of the cylindrical body and is plastically deformed to effect sealing.
In the above-mentioned conventional joint, the corrugated pipe is connected by turning the cylindrical locking member. Accordingly, the connecting operation is troublesome and time-consuming. In addition, cutting dust is often produced because the cylindrical locking member may be loosened due to an external impact or other reasons. In this event, the sealing of the corrugated pipe becomes insufficient or the corrugated pipe is disconnected. Therefore, it is necessary to provide means for preventing the cylindrical locking member from being loosened. This results in a complicated structure.